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Daily banter For everything, and anything that doesnt fit in elsewhere |
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#1
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D4 S8 - Thoughts & Impressions
Sat in a new D4 S8 yesterday.
I'm not a fan of the exterior, it looks a little slab sided to my eye and I'm still uncertain which model I'm seeing when approaching from the back. Well the interior is a truly lovely place with loads of soft upholstery and lots of shiny highlights here and there. I checked out the centre arm rests. No height adjustment!!! No stowage in the arm rests themselves, and very shallow storage in the centre below them. I did a double take at the dash. First off it was the usual sexy arrangement of dials. But on closer inspection I believe that the entire thing is a screen. A monitor, and not a very good one. The dials and everything, including the chrome dial surrounds being a figment of some chip. It was surprisingly low resolution. I got out, and gently pushed the door to only to discover that there's no soft close. I thought that this was on all the D3 S8's. Anyway, not a deal breaker. Finally after wandering around the showroom I realised that the wheels on the S8 were identical in design to the A4 loaner I had just taken back. And an A7, A3 and A1. Probably every car in the range I've always liked the idea that the 8's are set a little apart from the range, as in better. And the S's came blessed with some standard stuff that you had to pay a little more to get on the other models. What's going on?
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A journey of a thousand+ (epic) miles, begins with a single step, (to the door of an 8). Lau Tzu |
#2
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That's it, I'm not buying a new D4 S8! Come to think of it, I can't even afford a D2 S8 . Anyway, glad to see that someone else thinks the new A8/S8s are too bland looking from outside. That's something I liked about the D2 and D3 versions, individuality.
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2001 A8 D2 FL 3.7 Q - LPG Conversion, Engine: AKC, Gearbox:FBB, Colour:LY5X Aqua Blue pearl effect, Interior:WJ light beige/dark beige valcona leather with burr walnut inserts My DIY jobs - Replaced alarm horn, Replaced Coolant Temp sensor, Updated RNS-D firmware, Installed Reversing Camera and Digital TV, Dashcam Installation, Retrofitted Rear Blinds, Auto-Dimming Rear View Mirror, Chrome Boot Struts Sold! 2008 S8 D3 5.2 V10 - Engine: BSM, Gearbox:KLW, Colour:LY7F Suzuka Grey Pearl Effect, Interior:Black/Black with Silver/Black valcona leather with carbon atlas inserts, Bang & Olufsen, Heated windscreen, Soft-close doors, TV, DAB, AMI, Quad Zone, Auto Boot, Auto dim Mirrors, Keyless entry, PDC with rearview camera, AFS II Headlights My DIY jobs - Fan Jet Windscreen Washers, Retrofitted Electric Side Blinds |
#3
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D2s look like a big A4.
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#4
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Can we ex-communicate someone from this forum?
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2002 Final Edition S8. Ebony black with Silver Grey leather and myrtle wood trim. Current mods: solar sun roof, 20mm rear spacers, 15 mm on front, red brembo callipers, 6k headlights, rear view camera, engine remap, alloy dash dial rings, alloy navi rings, tt/phaeton pedal upgrade, (and custom matching foot rest) dension ipod interface & parrot hands free kit (both fully hidden), av input, tv in motion switched thro' PF switch in blanking plug right of steering column, Audi 'quattro' sill covers, repositioned centre console switches, radio clock, .Planned mods: auto-dimming rear view mirror, dash cam (as steamship's), fit the ski hatch, refit philips drl's (or maybe not - nope, definitely not - horrible botch!). |
#5
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I can kinda see it but surely the 8 is closer to the 6?
The lines between each model is getting very blurry with each newer model. A1 is a smaller A3, A3 small A4 and so on. I do like the D4 but agree that the S version needs something a little bit more on it to make it stand out from the normal A8. Also noticed that Audi appears to be getting very stingy with their standard options on recent models. A1 does not come with heated mirrors, A3 you have to spec the footwell lights and door lights. It would not be surpris if you had to spec soft close doors on the S8 and a glove box light.
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[center] 06 3.0TDI Quattro: Options: Soft close Doors & Boot, Electric Blinds, Keyless Entry & Start, Bluetooth HandFree, Quad Zone Climate, APS+, 3 Spoke Sports Tiptronic Multi Function Steering Wheel, Heated Seats All Round, Black Leather Comfort Seats, AMI, Sunroof, Drivers & Passenger Electric Memory Seats, Auto Dimming Mirrors, Bi-Xenons AFS2, Dab, Digital TV, Reversing Camera, AV Inputs, Fridge, Solar Roof, TPMS, facelift rear lights, 3G, remote boot closure, Tow Bar. |
#6
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The D2 does look like a mix of A4's; the front from the B6 family and the rear from the B4 models with the large light clusters (which personally I love the look of). I have to look twice to tell most current and former A6 and A8 models apart. I would say that the D2 stands out now by virtue of being a 20+ year old design, but that's what I like about it. To most people it simply looks like an dull, ancient Audi and therefore you can go about your business without attracting attention. |
#7
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First off, let me declare that I like the D4, more than the D3
I had a poke around a D4 S8 at Goodwood a few weeks ago. It is indeed a lovely place to be, but the one memory I came away with, above all else, was how worn the drivers seat was - now, I don't know how many people how jumped in and out of a show car, probably in the thousands, but the wear (this was a new unregistered car) was noticeable immediately and unacceptable for a near enough £100k car, in my opinion. I did take some photos, but not taken them off the camera yet, will upload them when I get round to it. |
#8
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The top-end models would look distinctive and then, over time, the "styling cues" would appear in lesser models, so that buyers could feel the "halo effect". By then the expensive models would have moved on again. Oddly, I don't think the D2 ever really was used much this way, one reason I like it.
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2003 D2 FL S8. Irish Green Pearl/Beige. Solar sunroof, auto-dim mirrors, electric rear seat functions, ski hatch retrofit; extended leather. Aftermarket DVB-T, reversing camera and full XCarlink (Bluetooth etc.). 2016 Volvo V40 T5 Cross Country (4WD) with ALL the toys including adaptive cruise etc. etc. Osmium Grey with Blonde/Charcoal leather interior. Polestar performance "optimisation". (A much rarer model than a D2 S8 by the way!) Oh, and a brand new engine at just under 30,000 miles on the factory one! Finally: gone, but not forgotten..... 1998 D2 PF S8. AgateGrey/Platinum. Every option (I think) except electric rear seats, tiptronic steering wheel, ski hatch, towbar & dimming door mirrors. e.g. Cruise control, NavPlus/TV, Bose, GSM, Xenons, Solar roof, Parking sensors, Alcantara/leather everywhere of course. (internal dimming mirror added later) 1998 (very early) Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec; ABS/TCS, Heated screen/mirrors, Aircon, Auto-dim mirror, Leather, Trip computer, Cruise control, OEM Ford SatNav with CD changer. And before that a lot of Rover 800s, a few oddities, a lovely Triumph Dolomite 1850HL with Overdrive and way back in my schooldays an Austin Seven aka Mini 850! |
#9
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To someone who doesn't know, that could be the same car. |
#10
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The B6 entered as the D2 finished, so the B6's (at least) had front design elements dating from a good 8 years previously and a rear that echoed the TT up until they had a front and rear makeover in 2005. I'm even boring myself now. |
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